Pressure-regulating apparatus



May 17 1927.

w. c. SHIELD PRESSURE REGULATING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 26 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR. 1161 MM v 3 BY 4 #57 i- ATTOR EYS.

y 17 w. c. SHIELD PRESSURE REGULATING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 26 1926 hvovmmunmm om D Q m INVENTOR. 476. Md

ATTOR YS.

Patented May 17, 1927.

UNITE STATES WILLIAM G. S31E1 UROCKETT, CALIFQENIA.

. PRESSUBE-REGULATING APPAEATUFl Applicatlontled Januaz-y 2, 1928. Serial Fa. 83,841.

This invention relates to fluid control apparatus and particularly'pertains 'to means whereby the pressure of fluids may be controlled or varied. x

In the operation of various pieces of apparatusthrough which fluid pass 5, as for example, in a filter press or the like, 1t is desirable to maintain the fluid in various conditions of pressure, either at a reduced 1o pressure from the line, a constant pressure Y are variable pressure, which last condition may be recurrent-1y brought about in a'predetermined cycle of time;

It is the principal object of'the present invention, therefore, to provide means operating in connection with a supply line within which fluid under pressureis flow-- ing, and a suitable apparatus to which it is delivered, whereby the fluid pressure condil tions me be accurately and automatically controlle and regulated.

The present invention contemplates the use of an auxiliar pressure tank which acts as a control me ium in conjunction with valved diaplira'gins to regulate. and control the pressure of fluid flowing through a. feed line to a p'ece of apparatus within which it is .employed.

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a View in diagram showing an cn'ibodiment of the present invention designed for maintaining a constant reduced :25 pressure in a piece of apparatus.

Fig. 2 is a view in diagram showing an embodiment of the invention used for maintaining a sustained constant pressure, and gradually increasing variable pressure, and

40 cycles of sustained and increasing pregures.

Fig. 3 is a graph showin the manner in which the apparatus of Fig. 2 may operate.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 1 of the drawing, indicates a tank or piece of ap 'mratus to which fluid under pressure is delivered through a high pressure pipe 11 and a continuing reduced pressure pipe 12. interposed between contiguous ends of the pipes 11 and 12 is a reducing valve l3 which is formed with an outer valve housing lo-i providing connections for the pipes 11 and l; and being fitted with an intermediate \';ll\'(', soul 15. A valve member 16 pro idcd to operatein conjunction with the sentagainst a flexible diaphragm 19 by means D of a suitable spring, 20, so that application of-pressure on the diaphragm upon the 0pposite side from the shoe Wlll cause the valve 16 to leave its seat and permit high pressurefiuid to flow from the high pressure pipe 11 into the reduced pressure pipe l2.

The-diaphragm 19 is contained within a housing 21 which forms a pressure chamber 22 on the back of the diaphragm, this chamber receiving a fluid under pressure from any suitable source of supply through a pipe 23. A leak valve 2-1 is secured adjacent the diaphragm to pcrmit'the fluid within the chamber to gradually leak therefrom after an impulse of the valve 12 and when valve 24 is closed under certain conditions which will be hereinafter. explained The fluid supply pipe 23 is fitted with a control valve 24 at a point along its length, this valve being operated by a valve stem 25. The valve stem 25 is secured to lever 26 of a. balanced diaphragm control mechanism 27. This mechanism comprises two shoes 2:; and 29 secured at opposite ends of a spindle 30, and reciprocable in unison within a housing 31. The spindle is provided with a. yoke pin 32 which seats within the fork of a yoke on the end of the operating lever J6,

and wh ch lever is pivoted intermediate its ends upon a pivot pin. 33.

it will thus be evident that as the dia phragm shoes 28 and 29 and the interposed spindle 30 move in unison, they will swing the valve control lever 26 to reciprocate the valve stem 25 of the valve 24. The assembled.diaphragm shoes 28 and 29 are interposed between diaphragins 3% and 35.

'lhe.se diaphragms are enclosed within the housing 31 and their outer faces are enclosed by end plates 36 and 37 respectively. Theseplates combine with the diaphraguis to form pressure compartments 3S and 39 within which fluid under pressure is deliver and by which the diuphrugms are flexedv The compartment 38 hetw -cu Lll1})lll'2t;l!i 3i and the cover 3t: supplied .with told from the reduced pressure pipe 12 by a pipe 40. while the coirspari'meut 39 formed hitwccn the diaphragm and the cover plate 37 is in communication with a fluid tank 41 hymeans of a pipe 42. The tank 4 1 is fitted with a supply pipe 43 connected with a suitable source of'supplyand controlled by a valve 44, while a pressure gage 45 is mounted on the tank to permit the pressure within the tank 41 to be constantly ascertained;

In operation of the device as shown in Fig. l and as described in the foregoing part of specification, it is understood that a constant rt-duccd fluid pressure is desired withinthe tank or other apparatus 10. This fluid is obtained from a high pressure pipe 11 which is delivcrcd as needed through the reduced pressure pipe 12.

in setting the apparatus a fluid is delivered to the tank 41 through supply pipe 43 untilthe gage 45 registers a pressure of fluid which is desired in the device 10. The valve 24 then adjusted with relation to the valve lever 26 by adjusting screws 46, so that with the tank 41 at a desired pressure the valve 24 will he closed. The regulating valve 12' with its diaphragm mechanism is also adjusted so that when the valve2l is closed the valve 16 will be seated.

It will be evident therefore, that when the pressure-in. the device and the pipe 12 diminishes below the amountat which the gage 4 was initially set, the pressure in pipe will lie-likewise diminished, thus relieving the fluid pressure in the chamber 38 ol 'the diaphragnrvalve 2T. Thiswill cause the pressure of the fluid in the tank 4i and chamber 35) of the diaphragm valve 27 to move the diaphragm shoes 28 and 29 and their intermediate spindle 3O upwardly or toward the compartn'ient 38 to the diaphragm 254, with the result that the outer end of the valve operating lever 26 will swing to move the valve stem 25 to open the valve 24. This action will allow fluid under pressure to pass along the supply pipe 23 to the chamber 22 of the regulating valve diaphragm mechanism. The pressure will then flex the diaphragm 19 to move the valve 16 from its seat, thus allowing fluid under high pressure to pass from the high pressure pipe ll to the reduced pressure pipe 12 and 'in an amount which will bring the ,fluid pressure within the apparatus 10 up th the pressure initially indicated by the gage 45. \Vhen this pressure has been reached the pressure in compartments 38 and 39 of the diaphragm valve mechanism 27 will be equalized and the valve 2 1' will he again closed. The fluid within the pipe 23 and the diaphragm 22 of the reducing valve mechanism may then leak out through the leak valve 24' until the valve 16 has been again restored toits seat 15.

Referring particularly to Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawing, 10 indicates the apparatus to which fluid under pressure is to be delivered,

as for example, a filter, and within which,

in the present instance, the fluid pressure is to be gradually increased during different stages of the operation. Connecting with the device 10 is a main tluid supply pipe 47 from any suitable source of supply. Interposed at a point in the length of the p pe 47 is a regulating valve +18, which is ndirectly operated under variation in the intcrnal fluid pressure of device 10. The valve 48 is provided with a valve stem {19 recipro cably mounted within the housing of a regulating diaphragm structure 50. The valve opens when the stem moves in the direction of arrow a and is resisted by a suitable spring in the mechanism which would act to restore the valve to its normal position after the pressure upon the diaphragm is relieved. This structure carries a diaphragm 51 which is acted upon by fluid delivered under pressure through 'a pipe 52. The fluid flowing along pipe 52 is controlled. or interrupted by a valve 53 having a reciproeating stem 54. The valve connects with a pipe 55 and this in turn connects with an auxiliary fluid supply pipe 56. A primary control valve 57 is interposed between the pipe 55 and the pipe 56 and may be set as desired. The valve stem 5% is operably connected with an oscillating valve lever 58 mounted intermediate its ends on a pivot 59, The end of this valve lever opposite from its point of engagement with the stem 54 is bifurcated and engages a pin 60 carried on a. spindle 61. A lealcvalve 52' simila to the valve 24 is mounted he line 52 so that the fluid will have an opportunity to leak out of the pipe after the valve 53 has closed.

Mounted on theopposite ends of this spindle are diaphragm shoes 62 and (33; These shoes with the interposed spindle move in unison within a diaphragm housing 64. Secured at opposite ends of th housing are diaphragms (35 and G6 which. will when flexed move the structure comprising the shoes 62 and (Band will thu cause the pivoted valve lever 58 to swing. The opposite ends of the housing 64 are fitted with heads 67 and 68 which cooperate with the adjacent diaphragm (32 and 63 respectively to form fluid compartments (39 and 70 within which fluid will accumulate and by the pressure of which the diaphragms may be flexed and the structure thus operated.

The compartment 69 is in communication with the fluid receiving apparatus 10 by means of a pipe 71. The compartment 70 is connected with a control fluid tank 72 by a pipe 73. The control tank T2 is supplied with fluid under pressure through pipe 56 and through a branch pipe 74. The pipe 56 communicates with the upper end of the tank 72, the fluid passing therethrough being controlled by a needle valve 75. The fluid through pipe 74 is controlled by a valve 76 actuated b diaphragm structure 77,

. the

while avalve 8 is interposed in the line be tween the-needle valve 76 and the tank. The

diaphragm structure 77 comprises a housing 79 within which is positioped a dia hragm 80. This diaphragm acts upon a va ve stem 81,0f the valve 76 to reciprocate the valve to o n the valve 76 when thestem moves in 'rection of the arrow '0. This movement is resisted by a suitable spring which would act to restore the valve to its normalposition when the ressure is relieved from the diaphragm; F uid from within the control tank- 72 actuates the diaphragm 80 through a pipe 82, and an escape valve 83 is fitted in the .tankat an end opposite -from the end to which pipe 73 is attached. A suitable presure gage 84 is mounted on the tank so that the pressure of'the fluid within the tank and the pressure of the fluid within the complete circulating system may'be constantly ascertained.

' that the In operation of the form of the invention shown in Figs, 2 and 3, it will be assumed ressure of fluid within the appa j ratus 10 18 to be gradually raised from zero tothi pounds in twenty-five minutes, then gradua y increased to sixty pounds over a period'of fifteen minutes and sustained at this pressure for ten minutes, after which the cycle is repeated. ,This is indicated in the graph shown in ,-Fig; 3. The valve 83 is closed and pressure permitted to be built up in the control tank 72 to a pressure of .pounds in a period of 25 minutes h manually ting and setting the nee le valve 75. The fluid under pressure assmg through'the valve 75 to the tank is de ivered. 'through the secondary fluid supply pipe 56.

Thh'balanced dia hra ,mec amsm actuating lever 58'an va ve stem 54 is so adjusted by the adjusting nuts 86 that valve 53 will be normal when the control tank 72 is under a desired pressure and the dia- )hrag'm will be in a central floating pos tion tween substantially equal pressures in the tanks 10 and 72. a

Diaphragm structure 50 for valve 48 is so adjusted as to insure that valve 48 will be closed at the same time valve 43 is closed, at which time leak valve 52' will. act to relicve the entrapped air in the pipe 52. It

is to beunders'tood that a. spring in valve 76 normally acts to hold this valve closed against the pressure on diaphragm 80, and that when the pressure on this diaphragm'i's lower than the tension of 'the'spring the valve 76 controlling the flow of fluid to the bottom of the control tank 72 will be closed. .In the event that the pressure in the ap paratus 10 drops below the pressure in the air tank, ressure will be correspondin ly decreased in chamber 69 of the dual iap phragm valve, so that spindle '61 will move upwardly, thereby actuating the pivoted valve lever 58 to open the valve 53. This action will permit fluid under pressure to flow from the secondary supply pipe 56 at a velocity determined by the adjustment of valve 57 1:0 the valve diaphragm structure 50. The pressure of'the fluid against the diaphragm 51 will act upon the valve stem 49 to open the valve 48 and to permit the flow of fluid under pressure into the apparatus 10.

When the predetermined initial pressure has been reached in tank 10 a ccunterfiow of fluid through pipe 71 will-act to countcrbalance diaphragms and 66, and this in turn will close the valve. If, however, it is desired to run part oithe cycle of operation at a different fluid prcssure'and'to increase this pressure 'in a relatively shorter period of time, valve 76 is set so that it will be opened operation is indicated on Figure 3 at 0:?

This acceleration in pressure may continue until it reaches the initial pressure in pipe 56 and may then be interrupted by opening, the relief valve 83 to allow the fluid to pass from the control tank 72. When it is desired to begin another cycle of operation, the

valve 83 is closed.

It will thus be seen thatby the apparatus here disclosed a constant fluid supply may be variably regulated or constantly fed to a device at a desired reduced pressure or at a gradually increasing pressure.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim anddcsirc to secure by Letters lutcut is:

l. A fluid regulating device, comprising 4 in combinationnn apparatus for receiving said fluid at a fixed or gradually progressing pressure, a fluid supply line adapted to deliver'fluid at a constant pressure to the apparatus, a valve interposed in the path of said fluid and between the source of supply and the apparatus, a control tank adapted to receive fluid from said source of supply, means for regulatingthe inflow of said fluid from the source of supply to the control tank whereby a desired pressure. may

be gradually established within the tank, a

diaphragm valve controlling themain valve between the source of fluid sup 1y andapparatus, .means connecting sai valve with the source of supply whereby ressure on said diaphragm Wlll act to open the valve and permit fluid to flow into the apparatus; a valve interposed between said diaphragm diaphragm valve and the source of supply, and. means controlledby the pressure otthe fluid within the control tank for opening said valve and therebypermitting actuation of the diaphragm valve to admit fluid to the apparatus. I 2. A fluid regulating-deviee, comprising in combination an apparatus for recei ing said fluid at a fined or gradually progres 'ing pressure, ,a fluid supply. line'adapted to deliver fluid at a constant pressure to the apparatus, a valve interposed in the path: of said fluid and between the source of sup ply and the apparatus, a control tank adapted to receive fluid froui'said source of sup ply, means for regulating the inflow of said thud from the s urce of supply to the control tank whereby a desired pressure may be gradually established within the tank, a diaphragm valve controlling the main valve between the source of fluid supply and apparatus, means connecting said diaphragm valve with. the source of supply-whereby pressure on said diaphragm Willa-oi: to open the valve and permit fluid to flow into the apparatus, a valve interposed bet-ween said mit fluid under pressure to flow against pne side of the diaphragm of the regulating A diaphragm valve and the source of supply, and means controlled hy tl ie pressure of the fluid within the control tank. for opening said .valve andtherehy permitting actuation of the diaphragm valve to admit fluid to the apparatus, and means whereby the .increase of fluid pressure within the apparatus will beaecelerated for a period of time when the pressure within the control tank reaches e' predetermined point.

A 'lluid regulating and control device in combination, im apparatus for receiving said fluid, a main supply pipe'delivering fluid to said apparatus, a regulating valve interposed in said; pipe for controlling the rate of flow of fluid from the source of liuid sup- )l to the a 1 urntus a. die vhra m media-- 1 y [P J a nism operating under pressure to open said regulating valve, ii controlling tank, a. balanced diaphragm mechanism one side of which is connected with the control tank and the other side of which is connected with the reciving apparatus, and a valve operated by said balanced diaphragm to perbe gradually increased to a predetermined pressuie in a predetermined period of time. "4. A fluid regulating and control device in combination, an apparatus'fqrreeeivmg said fluid, a main supplyxpipedelivering fluid to said apparatus, a regulatin valve interposedin said pipe. for contro the ['fltu offlow of fluid from the source 0 .fluid supply to the apparatus, a' diaphragm mechanism operating under pre'sure toopen said regulating valve, a controlling tank, a bnlanced diaphragm mechanism one side of which is connected with the controltank and ,the other sidetof whichis connected with the receiving apparatus','i1nd a valve operated by said balanced diaphragm to perinit fluid under pressure to flow against one side of the diaphragm of thereg ulating valve. whereby an excess in pressure in-the iugg apparatus will cause said regulating valve to he openeil until the pressure'in the apparatus -rcuchesthe pressure in the colitrol tank, a source of fluid supply delivering fluid to the control tank-and regultitin means for controlling the inflow'of fluid from said sour'ceof supply to the. tank whereby the prcssurewitliin the tank will be gradually increased to a predetermined .control tank over the pressure in the reeeivpressure in a predeterminedperiod of tiine,

and secondary means for connecting said control. tank with said source of. supply, and valve means interposed therein .whereby said secondary rneans will be placed'in communication with the control tank when the predetermined pressure has been huiltup with.

in 'the'tank andwill thereafter progressively build up the pressure to the pressure of the source of supply with a corresponding ac,-

tion within the apparatus.

I WILLIAM 'C.:S'HIELD.. 

